Vacuum tube and connector assembly

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to a tube and connector assembly for use in a control system including a valve with multiple male outlets and which comprises a plurality of tubes for connecting different ones of the male outlets of the valve with other parts of the control system and female connectors on the ends of the tubes which are adapted to mate with and communicate the male outlets of the valve with the tubes. The tube and connector assembly further comprises a connector housing which has a plurality of tapered openings therethrough for receiving the female terminals to align the same with the male outlets of the valve. The connector housing has slots co-extensive with the openings to enable the tubes to be received within the openings. The female terminals are thereafter received within the tapered openings by pulling on the tubes to frictionally and sealingly engage the connector housing whereby the female connectors are aligned with the male outlets of the valve and can be simultaneously connected thereto.

States Patent H91 Parkhurst et a1.

llll 3,757,824

[ VACUUM TUBE AND CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY [75] Inventors: Robert H.Parkhurst; William R.

Beck; Edward M. Bungo, all of Warren, Ohio [73] Assignee: General MotorsCorporaiomDetroit,

Mich.

[22] Filed: May 15, 1972 [211 App]. No.: 253,206

52 us. (:1. 137/798 285739, 285/137 R [51] int. Cl. F161 39/02 [58]Field of Search 137/798; 285/8, 39, 285/137 R [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 3,590,855 7/1971 Woollen et al 285/137 R 3,523,7008/1970 Palmer 285/137 R 3,179,443 4/1965 Staffel 285/137 R X 1,117,84011/1914 Hamilton 285/8 2,517,717 8/1950 Rose 285/192 2,410,999 11/1946Reisner 174/8 2,846,246 8/1958 Perasm, 285/137 R [4 1 Sept. ll, 1973'Primary Examiner-Alan Cohan Assistant Examiner-Gerald A, MichalskyAttorney-W. E. Finken and W. A. Schuetz [5 7 ABSTRACT This disclosurerelates to a tube and connector assembly for use in a control systemincluding a valve with multiple male outlets and which comprises aplurality of tubes for connecting different ones of the male outlets ofthe valve with other parts of the control system and female connectorson'the ends of the tubes which are adapted to mate with and communicatethe male outlets of the valve with the tubes. The tube and connectorassembly further comprises a connector housing which has a plurality oftapered openings therethrough for receiving the female terminals toalign the same with the male outlets of the valve. The connector housinghas slots co-extensive with the openings to enable the tubes to bereceived within the openings. The female terminals are thereafterreceived within the tapered openings by pulling on the tubes tofrictionally and sealingly engage the connector housing whereby thefemale connectors are aligned with the male outlets of the valve and canbe simultaneously connected thereto.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures VACUUM TUBE AND CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY Thepresent invention relates to a vacuum tube and connector assembly for acontrol system including a valve with multiple male outlets, and moreparticularly, to a vacuum tube and connectorassembly which provides foralignment and simultaneous mating of the vacuum tubes with the maleoutlets of the valve.

Connector housings have heretofore been provided wherein the terminalends of a plurality of wires or tubes can be assembled thereto and wherethe connector housing can then be manipulated to simultaneously alignand mate the terminal ends with the mating terminal ends of anothersystem component. For example see U. S. Pat. Nos. 2,964,437. Connectorshave'also heretofore been provided for purposes of sealing the openingsin a wall or partition through which a wire or conduit passes and whichreceive the wires or conduits within generally complementary shapedopenings via co-extensive slots or slits which extend to the edge of theconnector. For example, see U. S. PaLNos. 2,410,999 and 2,846,246.Further, sealing connectors have heretofore been provided as describedabove which also provide axially spaced sealing lips within the openingsreceiving the wires or conduits in order to reduce the frictionalresistance therebetween and to provide for axial adjustment of the wiresof conduits within the openings. For example, see U. SLPat. No.2,517,717.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved tubeand connector assembly wherein the end connector of a plurality of tubescan be easily assembled with a connector housing and be retained in aninterference fit therewith in order for the connector ends of the tubesto be simultaneously aligned and mated with the complementary tubularconnectors of another system component.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedtube and connector assembly for use in a control system including avalve with multiple male outlets and which comprises a plurality oftubes for connecting different ones of the male outlets of the valvewith other parts of the control system, female connectors on the ends ofthe tubes which are adapted to be mated with and communicate the maleoutlets of the valve with the tubes, and. a connector housing which hasa plurality of tapered openings therethrough for receiving the femaleconnectors so they are alignable with the male outlets of the valve andwhich also have slots co-extensive with the openings to provide for thetubes to be. received within the openings, and

wherein the female terminals are received within the openings by pullingon the tubes and the female terminals frictionally engage the connectormember and are retained in interference fit therewith when the femaleterminals are received within -the tapered opening whereby the femaleterminals can be simultaneously aligned and mated with the male outletsof the valve.

Yet another object of the present invention is to pro vide a new andimproved tube and connector assembly as described above and wherein thefemale connectors have integral O-ring sealing means for engagingthemale outlets to provide sealed communicatin between the tubes andmale outlets.

'These and other objects of the invention are accomplished in apreferred embodiment, by providing a tube and connector assembly for usein a control system ineluding a valve having multiple male outlets which3,523,700, 3,469,863 and comprises a plurality of tubes for connectingdifferent ones of the male outlets of the valves with other parts of thecontrol system. The assembly also includes fe male connectors on theends of the tubes and which are generally cylindrical in shape and whichhave a given external diameter. The female connectors are adapted tomate with and communicate the male outlets of the valve with the tubesand have an axially extending passage therethrough. Further, the femaleconnectors have a plurality of integral radially inwardly extendingO'ring seals at axially spaced locations within the passage forfrictionally and sealingl y engaging the male outlets of the valve. Theassembly further comprises a connector housing which has a plurality ofannularly spaced connector retaining portions arranged in aninter-connected relationship. The annular connector retaining portionshave inner walls which define frustoconical openings therethrough forreceiving the female connectors and which taper to a second diametersmaller than the outer or first diameter of the female connectors andwhich are alignable with the male outlets of the valve. Th connectorretaining portions also have axially extending slots therein which arecoextensive with the openings to provide for the female connectors to bereceived within the openings by insetting the tubes laterally throughthe slots and by pulling the tubes through the openings. The femaleconnectors frictionally engage the inner walls of the connectorretaining portions and are retained in interference fit therewith whenreceived within the openings whereby the female connectors can besimultaneously aligned and mated with the male outlets by manipulatingthe terminal housing.

These and other objectsof the present invention will become more fullyapparent from the following description and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view with portions in section showing the tubeand connector assembly of the present invention assembled to anothersystem component;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken approximately along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial end view of the tube and connector assembly of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a'partial sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2; t

FIG. 5 is a partial exploded view of the tube and connector assembly ofthe presentinvention with parts in section;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of the tube and connector assembly ofthe present invention substantially as shown in FIG. 2 but with partsthereof removed;

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 6 but with partsremoved.

As representing a preferred embodiment of the present invention, thedrawings show a vacuum tube and connector assembly 10, a vacuum valve 14having an end plate 16 with a plurality of spaced apart, axially alignedand co-extensive male outlets l8 and a removal plate 19 The vacuum valve14 is typical of the rotary vacuum valves utilized in air conditioningsystems for automotive vehicles which are controlled by a manuallyoperable valve (not shown) to effect different modes and operations ofthe air conditioning system.

The vacuum tube and connector assembly 10 broadly comprises a pluralityof vacuum tubes 20, an equal plurality of female terminals or connectors22 on the ends of the vacuum tubes 20, and a terminal connector memberor housing 24 to which the female terminals 22 and vacuum tubes areassembled.

The vacuum tubes 20 serve to connect different ones of the male outlets18 of the vacuum valve 14 via the female connectors 22 with other partsof the control system (not shown) such as would be usedin an auto motiveair conditioning system, to effect different modes and operationsthereof. Referring to FIG. 1, the vacuum tubes 20 are shown simply aselongated, annular conduits of flexible material, such as plastic.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 6, the female connectors 22 are bonded ormolded to the individual ends of the vacuum tubes 20 and are adapted tomate with and com- I municate the male outlets 18 of the vacuum valve 14with the vacuum tubes 20. The female terminals 22 could be of anysuitable material, but preferably are of a readily deformable material,such as a soft plastic.

The female connectors 22 are generally cylindrical in shape and have auniform given outside diameter.'The connectors 22 have an axiallyextending, cylindrical opening 26 which extends from one end portion 28of the terminal 22 to its other end portin 30. The latter end portion 30has an exterior which is frusto-conical in shape. The opening 26 has anupper portion 26a which is cylindrical and which has the ends of thevacuum tubes received therein and also has a lower portion 26b which isgenerally larger in diameter than the upper portion 26a andwhichreceives the male outlets when the assembly l0.is connected withthe vacuum control valve 14 which will later be described in moredetail. The connector 22 also includes a pair of integral O-ring seals32 which extend radially inwardly into the lower portion 26b of theopening 26 at spaced apart locations. The O-ring seals 32 are intendedto frictionally engage the outer periphery of each male outlet 18 of thevacuum valve 14 when the female connectors 22 are mated therewith inorder to provide for sealed communication between the male outlets andthe vacuum tubes 20. it should also be noted that the first end portion28 of each female terminal 22 defines a slightly tapered opening portion33 the internal diameter of which progressively decreases to assist inthe alignment of the female terminals 22 with the male outlets 18 of thevacuum valve 14 when the vacuum tube and connector assembly 10-isbeingmated with the vacuum valve 14. i

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the terminal connector member or housing 24is shown as a one-piece member which could be of any suitable material,such as plastic. The terminal connector member 24 has a flat, discshaped base portion 34. The connector housing 24 also comprises ahousing section 35 having a plurality of integrally connected connectorretaining portions 36. The housing section 35 defines an irregularlyshaped central through opening 37 which-extends through the base 34.Referring to FIG. 3, the connector retaining portions 36 are integrallyconnected in an enclosed or web-like configuration and with adjacentconnector retaining portions 36 being integrally interconnected witheach other along their entire axial length. Referring to FIG. 7, eachconnector retaining portin 36 has an axially extending opening 40therethrough which is defined by an inner wall 42 and which also extendsthrough the base portion 34. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the upperportion 43 of the opening 40 which is adjacent the free end portion 360of each connector retaining portion 36, as defined by the inner wall 42,is cylindrical and substantially complementary in shape to the vacuumtube 20. The opening 40 also has a middle frusto-conical portion 45which, when in its free state, is slightly under-sized with respect tothe frusto-conical end portion 30 of each female connector 22. Further,th opening 40, as defined by the inner wall 42 includes a lower slightlytapered portion 47 which extends from the base portion 34, where itsinternal diameter is something greater than the outer diameter of eachfemale connector 22, to the middle portion 45 of the opening 40, andwherebetween it tapers to an internal diameter which is less than theouter diameter of each female connector 22. Y

The connector housing 24 includes a plurality of radially extendingslots 50, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4,

which extend through the base portion 34 and through i the side of eachindividual connector retaining portion 36 for their entire length andwhich are axially aligned therewith. The width of the slots 50 is suchas to allow the vacuum tubes to be laterally passed therethrough andreceived within the openings 40 of the connector retaining portions 36.

The removal plate 19 has a plurality of openings 54 complementary to andalignable with the male outlets 18 of the valve 14 and also includes acentrally located eyelet 56. The removal plate 19 is positioned betweenassembly 10 and the valve 14, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, for purposes tobe later described in more detail.

In assembly with the female connectors 22 adjacent the base portion 34of the terminal support member 24, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 5,each vacuum tube 20 is aligned with a different slot 50 and is passedtherethrough to be received within the opening 40 of a connectorretaining portion 36, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 5. Thereafter,the female connectors 22 are axially received within the openings 40 ofthe connector retaining portions 36 by either pulling the vacuum tubes20 through the openings 40 or by pushing the female connectors 22therein. It should be understood that as each female connector 22 isreceived within the opening 40 of a connector retaining portion 36, theinner wall 42 of the connector retaining portion 36 eventuallyfrictionally and sealingly engages the periphery of the female terminal22. Further, when the frustoconical end portion of each female connector22 is received within the middle frusto-conical portion 45 of theopening 40, each female connector 22 will be frictionally retainedwithin an opening 40 of a connector retaining portion 30 by virtue ofthe interferencefit between the inner wall 42 and the periphery of thefemale connector 22. After each vacuum tube is assembled to theconnector housing 24, the'female-connectors 22 canbe simultaneouslyaligned with the male outlets 18.

of the vacuum valve 14. Thereafter, the female connectors 22 can bemoved into engagement and mated with the outlets 18 of the vacuum valve14, as shown in FIG. 2, by manually forcing the connector housing 24against the male outlets 18 of the vacuum valve 14. Prior to mating theassembly 10 with the vacuum valve 14, the removal plate 19 is slidablyreceived-upon the male outlets 18 and against the end plate 16 of thevacuum valve 14. When the tube and connector assembly 10 is forcedcompletely upon the outlets 18 of the valve 14, the base portion 34 ofthe connector housing 24 and the end portions 28 of the connectors 22abut the removal plate 19 and the eyelet 56 of the removal plate 19is-positioned within the through opening 37 of the connector housing 24.It should be noted that the O- ring seals 32 of the female connectors 22peripherally engage the male outlets 18 to provide a sealing effect whenthe female connectors 22 are mated therewith. Further, because only theO-ring seals 32 of the connectors 22 engage the outlets 18, the totalfrictional force which must be overcome to mate the assembly with thevalve 14 is minimal. Therefore, assembly can be accomplished withrelatively little effort. The vacuum tube and connector assembly can beretained in assembly with the vacuum valve l 4 by merely mounting thebase portion 34 to the end plate 16 by any suitable mechanical means,herein shown as bolts 52. The connectors 22 can be simultaneouslyremoved from the outlets 18 by using a suitable special tool to hook theeyelet 56 of the removal plate 19, which is accessible via the throughopening 37, and by pulling the assembly 10 and valve 14 apart. It shouldbe understood that, when the vacuum tube and connector assembly 10 hasbeen removed from the vacuum valve 14, the female terminals 22 andvacuum tubes can be-dis'assembled from the terminal support member 24 bymerely pushing thevacuum tubes 20 back through the openings 40 withsufficient force to break the interference fit between the wall 42 andthe periphery of each female terminal 22.

The foregoing disclosure relates to' only one embodiment of the presentinvention which may be modified male outlets of the valve to provide forsealed communication between the male outlets and said tubes; and aconnector housing having a plurality of annular and spaced connectorretaining portions arranged in an interconnected relationship, saidconnector retaining portions having inner walls defining frusto-conicalopenings therethrough for receiving said female terminals and whichgradually taper to an internal diameter smaller than said externaldiameter of said female ter' mina'ls, said openings being alignable withthe male outlets of the valve, said terminal locking portions havingaxially extending slots therein and co-extensive therewith to providefor said female connectors to be re- 'ceived within said openings byinserting said tubes laterally through said slots and by pulling saidtubes through said openings, said female connectors friction- I allyengaging the inner walls of said connector retaining portions and beingretained in interference fit therewith whereby said female terminals canbe simultaneously aligned and mated with said male outlets bymanipulating said terminal connector.

3. In the air conditioning system of an automotive vehicle: a pluralityof vacuum tubes; female connectors with an axially extending passagetherethrough and being generally cylindrical in shape with a givenexternal diameter, said female connectors having frustoconical endportions received and molded upon the ends of said tubes, each of saidfemale terminals also having a pair of integral radially inwardlyextending O,- ring, seals at axially spaced locations within saidpassage; a one-piece connector housing having a pluraity of annular andaxially aligned connector retaining portions arranged in aninterconnected and enclosed conto the ends of said tubes and which areadapted tosealingly engage and mate with the male outlets of the valveto communicate the male outlets with said tubes; and a terminalconnector housing having a plurality of spaced apart and longitudinallytapered openings therethrough for receiving said female terminals and toalign the female connectors with the male outlets of the valve, saidopenings in said connector housing being in communication with axiallyand radially extending through side slots in said housing to enable thetubes to be laterally inserted into said openings and pulled back withinthe tapered openings until said female connectors secured to said tubesfrictionally and sealingly engage the housing whereby said femaleconnectors will be aligned with and can be simultaneously mated with themale outlets of the valve.

2. A multiple tubeand connector assembly for a control system includinga valve having multiple male outfemale connectors having an axiallyextending passage to said tubes and having a middle frusto-conicalportion generally complementary in shape with said frustoconical endportion of said female connectors and also having a lower portiontapering to an internal diameter less than said given external diameterof said female connectors, said connector retaining portions each havingan axially extending slot therein and coextensive with said openings toprovide for said female connectors to be received within said openingsby inserting said tubes laterally through said slots and by,

pulling said tubes through said openings, said female connectors beingfrictionally engaged with said inner walls of said connector retainingportions when received within said openings and being retained in an in-]terference fit with said inner wall; and a rotary vacuum valve forcontrolling communication between a vacuum source and various-vacuumoperated devices of the air conditioning system, said valve having anend plate with a plurality of male outlet terminals complementary inshape with said female terminals of said vacuum tubes and in aconfiguration adapted for said openings of said terminal lockingportions to be alignable therewith whereby said female terminals can besimultaneously aligned and mated in sealed communication with said maleoutlets of said valve.

1. A multiple tube and connector assembly for a control system includinga valve with multiple male outlets, comprising: a plurality of tubes forconnecting different ones of the male outlets of the valve with otherparts of the control system; hollow female connectors secured to theends of said tubes and which are adapted to sealingly engage and matewith the male outlets of the valve to communicate the male outlets withsaid tubes; and a terminal connector housing having a plurality ofspaced apart and longitudinally tapered openings therethrough forreceiving said female terminals and to align the female connectors withthe male outlets of the valve, said openings in said connector housingbeing in communication with axially and radially extending through sideslots in said housing to enable the tubes to be laterally inserted intosaid openings and pulled back within the tapered openings until saidfemale connectors secured to said tubes frictionally and sealinglyengage the housing whereby said female connectors will be aligned withand can be simultaneously mated with the male outlets of the valve.
 2. Amultiple tube and connector assembly for a control system including avalve having multiple male outlets, comprising: a plurality of tubes forconnecting different ones of the male outlets of the valves with otherparts of the control system; female connectors secured on the ends ofsaid tubes and being generally cylindrical in shape and having a givenexternal diameter, said female connectors having an axially extendingpassage therethrough and being adapted to mate with and communicate themale outlets of the valve with the tubes, said female connectors havingintegral O-ring sealing means within said passage for frictionallyengaging the male outlets of the valve to provide for sealedcommunication between the male outlets and said tubes; and a connectorhousing having a plurality of annular and spaced connector retainingportions arranged in an interconnected relationship, said connectorretaining portions having inner walls defining frusto-conical openingstherethrough for receiving said female terminals and which graduallytaper to an internal diameter smaller than said external diameter ofsaid female terminals, said openings being alignable with the maleoutlets of the valve, said terminal locking portions having axiallyextending slots therein and co-extensive therewith to provide for saidfemale connectors to be received within said openings by inserting saidtubes laterally through said slots and by pulling said tubes throughsaid openings, said female connectors frictionally engaging the innerwalls of said connector retaining portions and being retained ininterference fit therewith whereby said female terminals can besimultaneously aligned aNd mated with said male outlets by manipulatingsaid terminal connector.
 3. In the air conditioning system of anautomotive vehicle: a plurality of vacuum tubes; female connectors withan axially extending passage therethrough and being generallycylindrical in shape with a given external diameter, said femaleconnectors having frusto-conical end portions received and molded uponthe ends of said tubes, each of said female terminals also having a pairof integral radially inwardly extending O-ring seals at axially spacedlocations within said passage; a one-piece connector housing having apluraity of annular and axially aligned connector retaining portionsarranged in an interconnected and enclosed configuration, each of saidportions having an inner wall defining an opening extending therethroughfor receiving said female connectors, each of said openings having anupper portion generally complementary in shape to said tubes and havinga middle frusto-conical portion generally complementary in shape withsaid frusto-conical end portion of said female connectors and alsohaving a lower portion tapering to an internal diameter less than saidgiven external diameter of said female connectors, said connectorretaining portions each having an axially extending slot therein andco-extensive with said openings to provide for said female connectors tobe received within said openings by inserting said tubes laterallythrough said slots and by pulling said tubes through said openings, saidfemale connectors being frictionally engaged with said inner walls ofsaid connector retaining portions when received within said openings andbeing retained in an interference fit with said inner wall; and a rotaryvacuum valve for controlling communication between a vacuum source andvarious vacuum operated devices of the air conditioning system, saidvalve having an end plate with a plurality of male outlet terminalscomplementary in shape with said female terminals of said vacuum tubesand in a configuration adapted for said openings of said terminallocking portions to be alignable therewith whereby said female terminalscan be simultaneously aligned and mated in sealed communication withsaid male outlets of said valve.